Thursday, 28 August 2008

Less haste more Verve

The first Verve recording was not as many assume the album A Storm in Heaven but a wonderful extended play (and at thirty-two minutes very nearly an LP) known simply as The Verve E.P.Released in 92, it contains the two early singles: 'She's a Superstar' and 'Gravity Grave', and the excellent track 'Feel', by far the best track, and still remains one of my favourite songs of theirs; really anticipating their later accessible psychedelic sound so evident on their first two albums.

This is certainly a more ethereal Verve: less in your face, less preachy and lacking the later adopted arrogance, especially lyrically.

This of course being the band's second resurrection, I do believe this recent set at Glastonbury (29/6/08) proves that among the plethora of 'Super-groups' who have graced us with their presence of late, The Verve's may be one of the more creative and meaningful.

Typical of many headlining festival sets it is pretty much their greatest hits; although the version of 'Space and Time' is quite sublime; really encapsulating what it is that makes The Verve one of the greatest contemporary pop acts.

Their album Forth has been mainly criticised in the press for sounding more like A Northern Soul than Urban Hymns.Well for my money that's no bad thing.The new songs in this set don't sound at all out of place, and the rendition of the single 'Love is Noise' as a finale was an act of genius.

"Love and peace to all bands.

It's a struggle.Life's a struggle.

And Monday morning may be a struggle for a lot of you in a job that you despise.

3 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Hey, The Verve are tops always will be too in my book. They are some serious MF'ers! When they toured the states years ago they hung out with many of us after the show in Austin at a small club and were so fun and wild! It is so good to see them back together again!

I agree, as 'pop' acts go, the Verve are the best; Ashcroft's lyrics & McCabe's guitar playing are light years away from their contemporaries.Oasis? No where near.I was a little disappointed with the new album though - but then I hark back to Northern Soul days; that's when they were really peeking, for me.Shanti, roy

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